Ron Turcotte, Hall of Fame jockey who rode Secretariat to glory, dies at 84

Ron Turcotte, the Canadian jockey forever associated with the breathtaking 1973 Triple Crown procession by Secretariat, has died at age 84. His family said through friend and longtime business partner Leonard Lusky that Turcotte died Friday at his home in Drummond, New Brunswick, from natural causes.

The high points of Turcotte’s career have long been indelible marks in racing history. He won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes twice, but it was the sweep on Secretariat that made him an icon.

The Belmont victory, a record-shattering 2:24 run with a 31-length margin, still stands as one of the sport’s most famous moments more than half a century later.

Leonard Lusky shared:

“Ron was a great jockey and an inspiration to so many, both within and outside the racing world. While he reached the pinnacle of success in his vocation, it was his abundance of faith, courage, and kindness that was the true measure of his greatness.”

David O'Rourke, president of the New York Racing Association, also said in a statement:

"Ron Turcotte will be forever remembered for guiding Secretariat to Triple Crown glory in 1973."

He went on:

"While his courage as a jockey was on full display to a nation of adoring fans during that electrifying time, it was after he faced a life-altering injury that we learned about the true character of Ron Turcotte. By devoting himself to supporting fellow jockeys struggling through similar injuries, Ron Turcotte built a legacy defined by kindness and compassion."

Ron Turcotte’s path from New Brunswick to the Hall of Fame

Born in Drummond in 1941 as one of 12 children, Turcotte left school to work as a lumberjack before finding his way to Toronto and the racetrack. He started as a hotwalker and quickly rose through the ranks, becoming the leading rider at Woodbine Racetrack before moving onto the international stage.

Woodbine chairman Jim Lawson remembered him as “a true Canadian icon whose impact on horse racing is immeasurable.” He went on:

“Ron carried himself with humility, strength and dignity. His legacy in racing, both here at Woodbine and around the world, will live forever.”

Turcotte collected more than 3,000 wins in a career that ended abruptly in 1978 after a fall left him paraplegic.

In the years that followed, he became a powerful advocate for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund, with chairman William J. Punk calling him one of the sport’s greatest ambassadors.

"Although he is appropriately recognized as a member of the Racing Hall of Fame for his accomplishments in the saddle, his contributions to the PDJF established him as a giant in the hearts of all associated with this organization. His memory and his impact will live on forever."

In a statement through Lusky, Ron Turcotte's family shared:

“The world may remember Ron as the famous jockey of Secretariat, but to us he was a wonderful husband, a loving father, grandfather, and a great horseman."

Ron Turcotte was inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in 1979. Decades later, he still reflected with awe on the horse that defined his career. Ron Turcotte said in 2023:

“He was the type of horse that you’ll never see again. He was doing something that you’ve never seen before and will probably never see again.”

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